Rain
by Chloe Benson
Summary: Book two in the Saviors of Olympus series. Milo Winters and K.C winters have been in hiding for thirteen years, and now, the time has come for them to face James once and for all. James will do anything though to keep his position of power, including killing Milo and his sister before they get to him...
1. Chapter 1

**here it is folks, the second book in my "Saviors of Olympus" (yes it has a fancy samanshy name now) and pretty much this book will most likely be the last one... Unless I decide that I want to continue writing a with Milo and K.C. But what the heck, I might as well just write one shots after this, you guys go ahead and let me know What you think. Also, I've been dying the write one of those books from Henry's point of view, you know like do the goddess interrupted or something, I've wanted to do that for like forever now since I read the one book on here that someone did the for first book. Let me know if anyone would like me to do that, since it might take... Gasp... Effort! lolz, okay, so comment and let me know what you guys think of the first chapter. **

Silence, that was what it felt like. The silence had been eternal for the past thirteen years, and as Henry sat there thinking about that silence a noise distracted him, breaking the silence suddenly. He raised his eyes and saw her entering. He felt his heart break as she passed him, her brown hair falling to her waist. James had forced to wear a dress today, and although Henry loved the way she dressed normally, she looked awe inspiring as she crossed the throne room to the throne that James had designated as hers. She sat down softly and then looked right at him, her eyes were glowing softly with hatred, ad Henry looked back at the doors as James walked in. He had changed his appearance slightly, to make himself appear older, and he had been trying to get Kate to, but his urges reached deaf ears.  
Kate shifted uncomfortably when James touched her hand softly as he went to sit down on his throne, he smiled at Henry across the way and then said, "comfortable?"  
Henry smiled, trying to seem happy and said, "you're a bastard James."  
There was snort as one of the council members tried to hide a laugh. James's smile fell slowly until he was frowning, and then he said, "interesting, as I recall, your queen is sitting up here with me."  
He ran his fingers across Kate's cheek softly, and then pulled away and backhanded her across the cheek. Kate not expecting the blow fell out of the throne and onto the floor where she laid silent for a few seconds, her eyes burned with silent tears. She softly reached up and touched her cheek, which was turning red from where James's hand had hit her. She glared at him, but didn't say a word as she rose slowly from the floor and took her seat again.  
The room was deathly silent again, and everyone seemed to turn to see Henry's reaction. He was standing stock still, his hands clenched into fists at his side, his eyes trying and failing to burn holes in the glass so that he could rip James apart on the spot. Somewhere from within the room, Persephone shifted and whispered, "James, don't you dare hit her again."  
James looked over at her. Persephone was trapped behind a glass wall, separating her from everyone else, but able to see everyone else. James had punished her severely when he had caught her ten years after she had escaped with Milo and K.C. She'd been tortured until Kate had stepped in and stopped James. She had argued with James until James had called Circe forward. The witch had closed Kate's vocal cords, and forced her into silence. James had let Circe make the curse permanent until he said it could be had come in handy one night seven years ago when James had slipped into Kate's room and done what everyone thought he had only talked about doing.  
Henry had almost escaped that night, he had managed to almost shatter the glass when he had heard Eris whispering to a guard. The glass had cracked without him even trying, and all the power he had been building up fueled with the desperate desire to break out and save his wife almost shattered the glass. Almost, but not enough. Circe had arrived and fixed it, by then Henry couldn't produce enough to break the glass fully.  
Everyone waited for him to say something and then James smiled and said, "tell me Henry, what do you have to say, out with it. I'm in the mood for a good argument."  
Kate's face flashed with anger and she glared at James, her eyes practically speaking the words that desired to come out of her mouth. James sighed and then rising from the throne said, "where's you boy Henry? Isn't he supposed to come?"  
Henry set his jaw and forced himself to be patient, James was only digging into them to try and get a rise, but he would realize that eventually that wouldn't work. James smiled and then walking over to Henry said, "really, I'm getting quite bored waiting for him."  
Henry smiled, letting all his tension out in waves of power, Circe looked up from her position across the room and glared at him, apparently she was still upset that he had almost broken out seven years ago. Henry tilted his head to the side as if he were thinking and said to James, "I'm sure he preparing to fight you. A battle that he is surly prepared for, and is over complicating."  
James laughed, it was more of a dry barking laugh though and he eventually said, "that's a good one, couldn't have said it better myself."  
Circe let out a soft giggle and then James glared at her and she covered her mouth forcing herself to be silent. Kate smiled slightly and then covered it quickly when James glanced at her and beckoned her over. She narrowed her eyes, and then rose slowly. She walked down the steps to the floor and then walked across the throne room to stand next to James. He smiled when she reached him and he moved her hair delicately out of her face then kissed her cheek which was still red and whispered to her softly. She narrowed her eyes, but kept them on Henry's face. He looked at her sadly, and she clenched her right hand into a fist. Henry sighed and then said, "you've won, there is no more you could possible do to win."  
James smiled softly and then kissing Kate's temple whispered, "I can do a lot more to win, eventually you will see why."  
He laid his hand softly on the small of Kate's back and then gave her a guided push towards the doors. He smiled at Henry and then looking at Circe said, "keep an eye on them for me, I'll be back soon."  
He moved Kate away from the council and Kate looked over her shoulder at Henry, he turned to watch James lead her away. As he did he shouted at James, "I heard that it is traditional to carry the girl to your bed."  
James smiled at Henry and said, "when have I ever been one for tradition?"  
Hanry glared at James again and James continued to lead Kate out of the room. She looked over her shoulder and mouthed something to him. Over the past thirteen years Henry had become what he liked to think of as an expert on reading lips. Kate had mouthed the same thing for thirteen years though. It was only three words, but seeing them try to leave her lips made his heart ache with sadness.  
He nodded to her and her eyes welled up with tears as she turned her head and then walked out with James. Henry swallowed and then sat down slowly, now all he had to do was wait until James returned later and left Kate. He took a deep breath and wrapped Kate's words around his heart and mind. Her love was the only thing it seemed that kept him from fading inside the glass. She still loved him, even though James laid her in a bed almost every other week to get to Henry. She still loved him, and he knew that if they could speak to each other though their hearts and minds, she would still be whispering the same words, perhaps screaming them.  
I love you.

I love you.  
That had been his present. His twenty first birthday present. A piece of paper that had been folded and tied to a dove that had landed on the windowpane and pecked at the glass until he had gotten up and opened it. The bird had flown in and landed on the bedpost of his bed. It had chirped softly until he had walked over to inspect what it had brought. Tied to its leg had been a tiny piece of paper, that had been ripped from another piece of paper. He had untied the sting and given the bird a corn nut from a bag that he kept by his bed should he get any secret messages from anyone who knew how to use the birds.  
He had been expecting something else, perhaps a few more words than the three that had been delicately written. The bird chirped softly and when he had looked at it, it had chirped happy birthday. He had smiled, a birthday it definitely was, but a happy one was definitely in question.  
That had been three hours ago, now, he was sitting at the wheel of an old Toyota camari, waiting for his sister to get out of the store already. A few minutes after he had been sitting there waiting a teenage girl with dark brown hair came running out of the store, a plastic bag around her wrist and when he saw that she was running he frowned and unlocked the car. She practically ripped the door off the car when she opened it and then slammed it shut, almost breaking the glass.  
"Go My!"  
He sighed and started the car, once he had he looked over his shoulder and saw that three people had followed his sister out of the store. They were dressed funny for the part of New York that they were in, but he knew who they were none the less. He narrowed his eyes and slammed hard on the gas. His sister screeched softly as he turned sharply onto the street and sped off towards the freeway. It was about time they got out of New York anyway, they'd stayed much longer than he had desired to.  
A few hours after they had been on the freeway, his sister had reached into the bag and said, "happy birthday."  
He glanced over at her and nodded at the white and green cupcake she was holding. She frowned at his lack of enthusiasm and said, "look I know it's a cupcake but that's all I could get, and you at least deserve it. So pull over so that you can eat it."  
He sighed softly and then said, "K.C, later, right now I'm trying to-"  
"No, you are pulling over and eating this damn cupcake that I saved up for." She glared at him and he could almost feel her eyes boring holes into his head.  
He sighed and then smiling softly at her stubbornness pulled over to the side of the freeway. K.C smiled, happy at getting her way and reached into the bag and pulled out the cheap candle she had bought that was shaped like a twenty one. She stuck it in the cupcake,almost succeeding in breaking the thing to pieces. She had nodded at her handiwork and then her eyes widened and she touched her finger to the tip of the candle, a tiny flame sprung up from her touch and she smiled as she handed it to him. He frowned and said, "I wish you would have bought a lighter. You know how I feel about you doing that."  
K.C smiled and the said, "hey, lighting one candle won't kill anyone. Now you have to blow out the candle and make a wish."  
He sighed and took the cupcake from her, he closed his eyes for the effect she desired and blew out the tiny flame. K.C laughed and clapped happily. He set the cupcake down and she threw her arms around his neck and shouted, "happy birthday Milo!"  
Milo sighed and than said, "alright, you get half and I'll eat half." He pulled back out onto the freeway and K.C peeled off the wrapper and took out the candle, she looked at the cupcake and then whispered, "how long is the protection spell going to last?"  
Milo gripped the wheel tightly, he had dreaded the day his sister asked that question. He frowned and the said, "I'm not sure."  
"Don't lie milo. I know when you lie." K.C whispered as she looked at the cupcake in her hands. Milo looked at her sidelong for a moment before whispering, "it ends when I turn twenty one."  
"So it ends today?"  
"Pretty much."  
She was silent for a long period of time before she said, "Milo, how come you didn't tell me?"  
Milo chewed on the inside of his cheek for a second, contemplating his answer, first off he knew he hadn't wanted to scare his sister, second off, when his aunt had put it on them she had told Milo to never tell K.C when it ended. He decided the latter would make K.C upset so he said, "I, I didn't want you to worry about it. It's something for me to worry about."  
K.C looked at him carefully, and Milo felt his chest constrict, K.C didn't know how much she looked like their mother when she did that. "So does that mean James is going to come for us?"  
"No, he will come for me, not you. He will take me out and that means I have to hide you carefully."  
"That's a lie Milo." He gripped the wheel and set his jaw, he really hated the fact that he and his sister could not keep secrets, any word one spoke the other could tell if it was a lie the moment it left their lips.  
Milo sighed and then said, "K.C, James will come for us. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't want to scare you."  
K.C nodded, happy with Milo's words, and then said, "so, where are we going now?"  
"We're going to see a friend of mine. Someone who I can trust with our safety." Milo replied softly as he passed a car and pulled into the next lane. K.C watched him carefully for a second before saying, "so... We're going to see lux and Casey?"  
"No. We, we can't see them anymore." Milo whispered as he glanced in the rear view mirror for any suspicious activity or cars behind them. Years of being on the run, on his own, without his aunt to keep them safe, had taken its toll on him. Mentally and physically. Mentally, he was sharper, knew who was lying and who he could trust, knew when to run and when to stay in the shadows and rest. Only, he didn't do the resting, K.C did, he stayed awake, reading, or staring up at the sky wondering of his mother was looking down and could feel his fear. Physically, that was where he had changed the most. He'd sprouted to almost six feet in the past two to three years, had grown leaner and stronger after fighting off minor gods or goddess that they ran into. Above all though, he looked... older somehow, darker, almost a shadow on the wall. A minor god who had helped them a few weeks ago had almost mistake him for his father. Apparently, he looked spirit worn, tired, almost jaded. He felt that way though. Everyday was, get up, get ready, make sure K.C was ready to go, drive to a new hotel, fight off some mythical being or creature that had come to kill them or take them up to Olympus. Everyday ended the same, him lying down on the bed next to K.C, or the couch in the living area of the hotel room, and opening and closing the locket around his neck. The locket had been a gift from is mother, through his aunt, on his thirteenth birthday. Inside was a picture of his mother, father and himself when he was a baby. Only, it wasn't just a picture, it was a memory, and try as he might, he couldn't recall th memories of his childhood very well. All he could remember was the night his aunt had stolen him and his sister from Olympus. He could remember James's face twisted in fury as they vanished. If it wasn't for the locket, Milo feared he would have forgotten what his father looked like.  
"Hello? Earth to Milo! Calling my brother!"  
Milo blinked and shook his head, he had zoned out and K.C was waving her hand in front of his face trying to get his attention. He sighed and then said, "Sorry, K.C. You were going to ask me something I'm guessing?"  
She rolled her eyes in a very thirteen year old girl way, and then crossing her arms said, "Yeah, I've been repeating the same question for the past minute. Why can't we see them anymore?"  
Milo griped the wheel and then said, "Because James caught them, and Casey, you remember his myth right?" He'd really tried to install the myths in his sister, the more up to date ones at least, and she had remembered them pretty well, considering the fact that those were her bedtime stories when she was five.  
She nodded and Milo swallowed, Lux had shoved him in a closet when it had happened, he had watched it through a partially opened door. He had seen James throw Lux across the room, and then point at Casey and turn him to dust on the spot. Lux had sobbed in agony and then James had left him for Circe and Eris to play with. Milo had watched in horror, his fist in his mouth to keep from crying himself, as Eris and Circe did horrible things to Lux; things that had given Milo nightmares. Most of which involved them preforming the same things on him and he being powerless to stop them.  
"Because, James sent Casey back to the Underworld, and Lux... he's gone. I can't find him."  
The last part was a little white lie. He knew where Lux was, he just couldn't bare to tell K.C that he was locked up in a fiery pit in the Underworld, burning for eternity, or at least until Milo and K.C rightfully gained their thrones and remove his punishment. K.C's eyes widened and tears welled up until one by one they trickled down her cheeks and off her chin. Casey and Lux had been like their uncles, protecting them and teaching them. Casey had taught Milo everything he had known about being on the run, and because of them, he had been able to teach K.C everything they had taught him.  
Milo swallowed the knot in his throat and then whispered, "the person we're going to see though, you'll like them. They have a lot of books."  
K.C narrowed her eyes and looked out the window. That was another thing about his sister, she was stubborn. Incredibly stubborn, in fact, Milo believed in a competition between her and a donkey dragging its feet, she would win. She refused to stop mourning everyone who helped them and had been punished by James in response. Milo reached his arm around his shoulders and squeezed hr shoulder tightly in his grasp. K.C let out a sob and then buried her face in her hands. Milo pulled into another lane and then whispered, "we'll be okay, I promise K.C. We're going to be okay, I won't let anyone hurt you."  
And he meant it, Milo Winters meant every word he had ever told his sister.

They were still driving well into the night, and around eleven K.C had taken her contacts out, making her blue eyes a moonlight gray instantly. They had had no choice but to hide her real eyes behind contacts, there was no telling what people would think. Then Milo had reached behind her and pulled his big jacket off the back seat and handed it to her. K.C had smiled and wrapped herself in it. Their aunt had gone into the Underworld ad retrieved it. It had belonged to their father before it had belonged to him, and to Milo, it still smelled like him. To K.C it was a dream, a dream that she hoped one day would become reality. Milo waited until she was sleeping to turn up the radio slightly. They kept driving, Milo looking for an exit that only existed for immortals.  
When they pulled off the highway, it was two in the morning. K.C was still sleeping, curled up in the passenger seat. Milo looked over at her while he pulled off, and smiled slightly. She was so peaceful when she slept, and it allowed him to relax when he saw her like that. It also reminded him that she was only thirteen, a baby in the eyes of the Olympians. He was maybe a baby to them too, after all when he had asked Casey in secret how old his dad really was, Casey had laughed and said that no one knew, his father had probably lost track himself. Milo had stopped asking questions like that afterward. He turned onto a dirt road and the bumps woke K.C and she yawned, looked at the time on the dashboard and then looked outside. She frowned at the car high grasses, the dirt road, and then dark sky outside. She blinked and then said, "where are we?"  
"We're on the boarder of New York and Massachusetts." Milo answered as he pushed the gas even harder. The engine groaned, since the car was older than Milo himself, and then picked up speed. K.C smiled at him and said, "don't run her into the ground, not like you ran Alice?"  
"You shut your mouth."  
"Oh, you mean about you and Alice? Did you even call her back?" K.C smiled and then poked Milo in the cheek. He pushed her hand away and K.C laughed. Milo narrowed his eyes but couldn't help smiling as he answered, "yes, I did call her. I tried to explain to her who we were and she hung up before I got to finish."  
K.C laughed again and then said, "poor thing, she probably called the nut house on you. Is that why we left Rhode Island so early?"  
"No, the reason we left was because that Minotaur attacked you in the frozen's aisle while you were buying your stupid rocky road ice cream."  
K.C smiled and then said, "you forget you wanted that ice cream too."  
They both smiled at each other, sharing such a similar smile it could have been a mirror reflection, and then Milo looked back at the road and said, "besides Alice was a mortal. When we got back to Olympus they would have said no the minute I opened my mouth about it."  
"Mom and dad would have said yes though, right?"  
Milo frowned for a minute, he didn't really the know the answer, he hoped that they would have said yes, but then again, they were only two members on a council of what, twelve? He smiled and said, "I had hoped they would have said yes. But, they're only two people, they have to convince the entire council."  
K.C frowned and looking out the window said to no one in particular, "how is anything done if everyone has to agree on the same course of action, what if one person has a really good idea and it could really help, but no one agrees?"  
Milo shrugged and then leaned forward to try and find the break in the grass he was looking for, the last time he had driven past it and he had backed up for almost ten minutes before he found it.  
Suddenly he saw it and he turned sharply almost throwing K.C out of her seat. She screeched and then Milo laughed as he shot down the smaller road. K.C screaming at him the entire time to slow down. Milo saw the dark shape ahead of them before K.C did, and he grabbed her face and turned her chin to see it. Then he put his hand back on the wheel and slowed down. After driving for ten minutes on the tiny road they passed over a little bridge which was over a small river. K.C looked out the side of the car and smiled when she saw the river. Milo drove through the wrought iron gates and K.C mouth dropped open when she saw the driveway leading up to the giant house that was painted white with large French doors on both levels. She looked at the flowers that grew everywhere and K.C whispered, "what is this place Milo?"  
Milo smiled and said, "welcome to the home of the Muses."


	2. Chapter 2

Milo stopped the car in front of huge marble steps that led up to the huge brown mahogany doors. He opened his door and then turned and said to K.C, "whatever you do don't get out of this car."  
"Why not? I though you said they were your friends." K.C argued her hands gripping onto her brothers jacket. Milo sighed and the said, "I trust only a few of them, the rest I... I don't know them very well."  
K.C frowned, Milo wasn't lying, but he wasn't really telling the truth either. That was the thing about her brother that always annoyed her. He always told little white lies. Always said he didn't know when he did know, and he wouldn't tell her. He never told her what happened to their parents, just that they would see them again someday. She hated the secrets, she hated them with a passion. There was nothing she could do about them though, she could only hope that one day he told her the truth. She especially wanted to know how he'd gotten the scar on his neck. The one that was right below the base of his ear, covered slightly by his hair, but still noticeable when one knew it was there. The car door closed and she looked up and heard the locks click. Milo had locked her in the car. She growled under her breath, he didn't even trust her to do what he said. She snorted softly and then turned to face froward and crossed her arms tightly across her chest. A tiny rain drop hit the windshield and she looked up to watch it slide down. Her eyes faded with sleep until she saw a dark shape slide out from behind the hedges. It was huge and K.C unbuckled and then leaned towards the dashboard to see what it was. The rain started to come down in a drizzle and then the shadow stepped towards her. K.C frowned and then reached for the door and jiggled the handle. It was locked from the inside though, and the only way to unlock the doors was in Milo's pocket. K.C chocked and then the shadow paused.  
It was at least eight feet tall, and it was huge, bigger than the Minotaur that has chased her around the market almost a year ago. It seemed to tilt whatever it's head was to the side, and K.C felt her breath coming in ragged gasps as she pulled on the handle over and over again. Eventually when she looked back the thing was gone and she let out a shaky laugh. She was imagining things again.  
Suddenly something slammed on top of the car and K.C screamed as the roof collapsed in on her. She was thrown to the floor and she screamed as whatever the thing was smashed the window and reached a giant hand in to grab at empty air. K.C screamed, louder than she'd ever screamed in her life, and sobbed as rain from the smashed window cascaded on her. There was a screeching of metal and then the door was gone. K.C screamed as the hand reached in and pulled her out into the downpour. Her hair was soaked in seconds and her jacket was too. She screamed and kicked her legs but whatever was holding her, held her in one of its hands and with the other it was going to smash the car. K.C called upon some fire and a fire sprang up near the things feet. It roared and K.C reached her hand down towards the fire and coaxed it up higher.  
Suddenly the thing squeezed her torso and she choked as her breath left her body in a whoosh of air. Her fire went out and she pushed on the finger that was squeezing the breath out of her.  
"K.C!"  
K.C saw Milo running down the steps towards her, his hair soaked in the down pour, and his shirt sticking to his chest. A dark cloud was forming at his feet and then K.C saw the crackle of light that escaped the cloud. It hit the creature square in the back. It roared and threw her across the ground. She hit the ground hard on her back and she felt the last of her air leave her body as she tumbled at rolled, unable to stop herself.  
When she had stopped she saw a sight she had never before seen. Milo never used the powers that it was obvious they had. He said they were dangerous, they hurt people and they were uncontrollable. What she saw was someone who was very in control of the battle. Milo was dodging and throwing. Crackles of lightening, and dark smoke lashed out at the thing and it roared as it tried to swipe at him.  
Milo eventually threw all the cloud at the creature and sent it falling backwards. Then he drew a weapon off his hip that K.C had only seen in the mythology books that Milo used to buy her. It was a gold sword that glowed in the night, infused with a power as old as time itself. Milo stabbed it into the creatures chest and then pulled it out.  
The thing roared and finally it howled at Milo, "son of Hades, you will pay! You will pay on the Day of Judgement!"  
Then it turned to dust and K.C watched as Milo wiped the sword on the wet grass and then re-sheathed it. He walked over towards her and picked her up. Cradling her to his chest, he carried her past the smashed car and K.C looked at the spot where the thing had vanished and then said, "what was that?"  
"That was a cyclops, they work for James too." Milo murmured as he carried her up the steps. K.C could feel the way Milo's arms shook as he carried her and eventually the darkness and rain were gone, replaced by warmth and light. She felt blinded and then someone came running. She heard voices and then she whispered, "I didn't mean the monster, I meant, what you did out there."  
Milo sighed softly and then someone whispered something to him, "what happened!"  
"I shouldn't have left her alone. I was stupid enough to believe that James wouldn't know that the spell had broken yet."  
Another voice whispered, "she has a concussion, we need to give her some ambrosia and she will need rest."  
"Take as much time as you need with her Mel. James can not come here."  
K.C felt her eyelids slipping and she whispered to Milo, "why didn't you tell you could do that?"  
She never heard his response.

The sun was warm, gloriously warm, that was all K.C thought as she walked through the golden hallways. She knew she was in Olympus and she knew exactly where to go. She stepped through the open double doors and then saw them all. The whole council sitting, waiting still. Just as they had been for thirteen years. Someone roared and K.C squeaked and ran across the room to hide behind the throne. James came storming in, his eyes a light with fury and his aura crackled with anger. K.C clutched the back of the throne, her eyes wide in fear, even though she knew that no one could see her.  
Someone snorted and said, "what happened this time James? I thought you said this time you would get them."  
Whoever had spoken laughed and K.C poked out her head out to see what James would do. He didn't do anything but spit, "the boy got in the way again! I never can get a witness to tell me how he gets rid of the people that I send."  
"Apparently you don't know my son as well as you think."  
K.C followed the voice and saw the man who had spoken. He was middle aged, with dark black hair. He looked just like Milo, almost like he was Milo's older twin or something. But K.C knew he was their father. He might not even know about her, what she looked like, who she was, and it made her sad. James glared at him and then hissed, "you keep in mind who is sitting in a room alone with Eris right now. All I have to do is have Eris slit her throat and you'll never see her again."  
Who was he talking about? Whoever it was, it made her father stiffen in fear and James smiled wickedly as he passed the cages and then sat down on the throne K.C was hiding behind. K.C squeaked and fell backwards onto her butt. James sighed and ran a hand down his face.  
"They're with the Muses, territory I can't enter... Damn that kid for being smart." James murmured as he looked out the window next it him. "Damn him," James whispered once more. Someone walked into the throne room and K.C felt her breath taken away by how beautiful the woman that entered was. She wore an element white gown that fell to the floor and blossomed around her hips. The tight fitting top would have made any man drool with desire. She walked with an air about her though that screamed power and royalty. She curtsied deeply to James who smiled and rose from the throne. She stayed curtsied and then he touched the skin on her back and K.C swore she saw the woman shiver at the touch. He lifted her chin causing her to stand and whispered, "are we ready to cooperate today Kate?"  
She narrowed her eyes and didn't respond. James moved behind her and ran his hand down her side and rested it on her hip. He traced her jaw with his lips and whispered again, "you're so tense my love. Relax a little bit," he ran his hand from the side of her hip towards the front, and then down towards the inside of her thigh.  
"James."  
The voice was dark and powerful and when K.C saw the murderous look on her father's face, she knew he was the one who had spoken. James smiled and whispered, "what are you going to do about it Henry?"  
He dropped his hand near the inside of Kate's leg and then pressed his lips to her neck. Kate looked like she was struggling not to make a sound. Her lips parted and it looked like was pained. James smiled and whispered as he brought his other hand to rest on her stomach. He ran that hand down and before he could do anything Kate pulled away. She stumbled up to the thrones and clutched the arm rest of the white throne and it looked like she was gasping for breath.  
James followed her but she flipped around and slapped him across the face. He grabbed at his cheek and Kate glared at him, her hand in a fist ready to hit again K.C supposed, and her other hand resting on the throne supporting her. Someone whistled and said, "damn James that one way to piss a girl off."  
James growled and grabbed Kate's arm and pulled her to his chest. She tried to push away but James pressed his lips to hers and gripped her bare back. Kate pulled away and wiped her lips with her hand, her eyes were filled with tears and fury. James sighed and then sat down in his throne. Kate turned and fled the throne room. Her white dress disappeared and before K.C could see anything else, everything went dark.

"How is she?"  
"Better then she was two days ago."  
"Does Milo know?"  
"He and Clio are walking out in the garden right now. I swear to you, they will get together."  
"Oh leave that to yourselves, Clio could never marry him... Let alone love him!"  
K.C opened her eyes a crack and then closed them again. Three people were sitting near the foot of her bed arguing with each other about some chick named Clio and her brother getting together. Milo had sworn never to like anybody after Alice though.  
K.C frowned and the one of the women squeaked and said, "oh! She's awake! Someone go tell Milo!"  
There was a shriek of happiness and then two sets of feet pounded the floor as two of the women left to go retrieve her brother. K.C opened her eyes and squinted against the light that was pushing through the giant windows next to her bed. She moaned at the ache in her head and then said, "could we... Close the curtains maybe?"  
Someone's chair screeched on the hard woods floor and then the curtains were pulled tight. K.C sighed and then opened her eyes, the movement still made her head hurt but she kept her eyes open as she tried to sit up. Whoever was still in the room put their hands on her shoulders gently and said, "oh no you don't. You lay back down and rest."  
There was the sound of feet in the hallway and K.C sat up anyway. The woman who was trying to hold her down huffed and then grumbled as she moved about gathering things. The door opened and Milo paused in the doorway. He was dressed in a white shirt and a pair of dark jeans. To tell the truth, without all his dark clothing, he looked younger. He smiled when he saw that K.C was awake and then moved over towards the bed. He sat down on the edge his torso turned so he was facing her, and then put his hands in his lap. Someone coughed and Milo looked over his shoulder at one of the woman and then said, "I'm sure you wouldn't mind Mel if I talked with my sister, alone."  
Mel was a young woman with dark red hair, and emerald green eyes, and pale complexion that was doted with freckles. She frowned and said, "if her eyes start to glaze, you need to call me, her concussion could be worse than I thought."  
Milo nodded and Mel closed the door on her way out. When Milo was sure they were gone he turned to look at K.C who was glaring at him. Milo sighed softly at her gaze and then said, "what?"  
"What the hell does that mean!"  
"Keep your voice down K.C."  
"Why should I? You lied to me and didn't tell me anything! You're a lying, piece of crud Milo." K.C shouted as she pushed the blankets back and tried to get up. Milo grabbed her arm and gave her a gentle guiding shove back to the pillows. He sighed and then said, "K.C I didn't tell you for a reason. What I can do," he paused and his eyes grew soft and K.C swore that she saw them rim red too, he seemed to catch his breath and then he continued, "what I can do, is deadly. It can look pretty and cool, but it can kill people."  
"So? If you can protect us with it, why don't you use it?" K.C whispered harshly. Milo could take James on now, and probably win with the power he had, but he was too afraid to use it.  
"K.C, this power, it's not all it's cracked up to be. Killing and hurting people is not fun, it hurts. It kills you inside little by little." Milo whispered as he squeezed her shoulder and looked deep into her eyes. She narrowed her eyes and said, "you said we couldn't control our powers, you looked pretty in control."  
Milo laughed, it sounded nice, deep and melodious. He smiled at her slightly and said, "it took almost all my will power to keep it in control."  
K.C frowned and then Milo said, "alright, you need to get back to sleep. Rest a little bit more."  
He rose from the bed and K.C grabbed his hand one more time. He looked back down at her and whispered, "yes K.C?"  
"One more question. Who is Clio?"  
Milo blinked and then smiling he said, "she's a friend. You can meet her in a little bit."  
K.C opened her mouth again to speak but Milo put his finger on her lips and said, "no more questions. You only said one more. Now go to sleep."  
She smiled at him, and Milo smiled back before he turned and walked to the door. He slipped out it and closed it softly behind him.

Milo sat in one of the chairs in the giant library that the Muses had built. Each of them had collected, written, or refurbished ever single book in the room. It felt nice to sit there, the knowledge from millennia rolling of the shelves and tables in waves, washing over him softly like waves on a lake shore. He looked over at one of the shelves and said, "if you reach any farther you'll fall."  
The young woman who was leaning precariously off the top step of the rolling ladder that allowed for her to reach the huge book shelves that took up every single wall of the room, snorted softly as she stretched her arm a little farther. She grabbed the book she was looking for with her finger tips and then dropped it. She cursed and reached her hand out, catching the book a few feet of the ground. It hovered there until Milo stood, walked over, and took it in his hands. She grabbed the rungs of the ladder and then slid down until her boots landed on the dark hard wood floors of the library. Milo smiled and held the book out to her. She moved a strand of her dark auburn hair and tucked it behind her ear, before she took the book. She walked past him deeper into the library and Milo followed her.  
As they walked she whistled softly, and a loud purring sound was accompanied by a large Bengal tiger. Milo smiled and scratched it behind the ears as it brushed against his legs.  
"I see that Tigris has grown."  
"She's eating things twice the size of you."  
Milo chuckled softly and then ran his fingertips along one of the shelves they were walking by.  
"How are you though Clio? We haven't talked in years."  
"Not since you packed up shop and took off for Rhode Island."  
Milo winced, yet remained silent. Clio sighed and then turned her green eyes on him. All the sisters looked almost the same, only a few of them had changed their appearance to be different. She blinked at him and then said, "Milo, why did you come back here? Everyone has been whispering around here. That... That you didn't just come here for protection."  
Milo winced inside this time, had it really been that obvious? Maybe he shouldn't have asked for Clio the moment he arrived.  
"I had come to talk to you about some stuff."  
Clio looked at him funny for a moment and they stopped walking. She reached out and Tigris nuzzled her fingers softly. She scratched her pet tiger's ears for a minute until she said, "you're awful quiet Milo."  
He put his hands into his pockets and then said, "I came to ask you for your help. You have connections into the mythological world that I couldn't even dream of having. I need eyes and ears on the inside of Olympus."  
"Why? You two should just go after James now," Clio murmured as she pulled another book off the shelve. Milo shifted and sighing leaned against one of the small tables in the middle of the walkway. Clio looked at him and then said, "you can't hide forever Milo."  
"I'm not hiding. I'm...protecting K.C from everything. You've seen her Clio, she wouldn't last five seconds against James."  
"I think you're using your sister as an excuse for your own fears."  
Milo opened his mouth to argue but Clio held her hand up asking him to hear her out silently. Milo narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. Clio walked back the way they had come and Milo eventually rolled his eyes and followed her to the area that she normally sat in. It had low backed chairs with soft rugs that half of Tigris's fur ended up in, and warm lamps that cast patterned light over the floor. Clio set the books she was carrying on a table and then sat down on one of the couches. She patted the space next to her and Milo sat down. She looked like she was his age, which is was made this so awkward for him. But he knew she was millennia old, and had seen countless stories like his with mortals. Clio loved stories like that, she had shared some of them with him the last time he had been here. Stories of great bravery and courage, or love and desire, daring rescues, brutel sword fights with the hero always the victor. But Milo had seen around those stories, while Clio saw the hero as him, Milo saw himself as the loser, with James writing history. The victor always wrote history, that is what Mel had said when Milo had tried to talk to her about it.  
"I think your afraid to fail Milo, that's why you're hiding here. Your scared to go up and not be everything the council thought you would be, and that's holding you back." Clio whispered as she stroked Tigris's head. Milo frowned and said, "I'm not afraid to fail-"  
Clio's raised brow and slight smile caused him to pause though. He sighed and rested his head in his hands. Clio blinked in surprise and then hesitantly laid her hand on his shoulder. Milo sighed and then said, "what if I'm not everything that I'm supposed to be? What if I do fail? There's no one else who can save the council."  
"What about K.C?"  
"She can't do it on her own. The prophesy says 'two' children of Hades will save Olympus. What if we're not those kids though?"  
Clio laughed and Milo glared at her, she was laughing when he was admitting the thoughts that had kept him up some nights? He felt his stomach clench in anger and desperation to make her understand, but she eventually stopped and said, "oh Milo, there are no other children of Hades," she smiled at him and continued, "you and K.C are it, you guys are the heroes, no one can take this from you but yourself."  
Milo felt his throat close up and then he whispered, "Clio, if everything goes right-"  
Clio sighed and then whispered, "no Milo, we can't."  
"I wasn't going to ask that."  
Clio's burned bright red, making the tiny freckles under her eyes stand out. Milo laughed and then said, "sorry, should have let me finish though Cli."  
"Yeah, whatever," she murmured as she stood up and grabbed her books. Milo stood as well and grabbed her arm. Clio turned around and Milo whispered, "we can be friends when all this is over right?"  
Clio nodded and with a tight smile whispered, "of course Milo."

"He's clueless," Mel said as she chaptered off the play she was reading. Clio narrowed her eyes as she looked out the window at the garden which was empty except for the birds.  
"Who? I thought you said the main character was the deepest boy you'd ever read about," Clio murmured as she leaned her forehead against the window.  
Mel snorted and set her book aside as she rose from the plush chair she had been sitting in. She crossed to the window and set her hands on her sister's shoulders and leaned forward so her lips were right next to her sister's ear and said, "you know who I'm talking about."  
Clio growled softly, her face burning red in humiliation as she turned from the window and shook her sister off. Mel sighed and then whispered, "you should tell him, he should know Clio."  
"Know what?" Clio shouted as she slammed the book she had just picked up on the table again. Mel frowned and pulled the book from her sister's grasp, stroking the binding softly she whispered, "how you feel. Don't become like you know who because you were too afraid to tell him anything."  
Clip turned away tears in her eyes and whispered, "you know he meet someone in Rhode Island, and I heard from someone that they are really in love."  
"Well it must not have been real love if he got away from her. What you release that returns is always yours to keep sister."  
Clio felt tears burn her eyes and she whispered, "he is not something for me to keep, he is a free spirit, besides, the council-"  
"The council be damned, if you two love one another then," Mel paused and then whispered even softer, "they will let you be together."  
She moved over towards Clio and put her arm around her sisters shoulders and then whispered, "rank matters not in love my dear."  
"No. It does matter, the Olympians would never allow us. His own father would oppose it." Clio hissed as she pulled away and yanked open the door out of the room. Mel sighed and then said as Clio stepped out of the room, "I consider his parents a tragedy."  
Clio paused teardrops falling freely down her cheeks now. Mel sighed again and then whispered, "they were against the council themselves."  
Clio narrowed her eyes and then closed the door softly behind her. She avoided all the inhabited rooms and made her way to the small room where the two children of Hades were staying. She paused outside the door and collecting herself, knocked. Milo called her in and she forced a smile as she entered. Sitting up in bed was K.C Winters, her brown hair loosely pulled back in a braid and her t-shirt slipping off one of her shoulders. She was going to be gorgeous someday, and Hades would be chasing quite a few young gods away from her. Clio actually smiled at the idea and then walked over and said, "I hope I'm not intruding."  
"You weren't," Milo said with a smile. A dazzling smile, Clio thought, one that was heart breaking and heart mending at the same time, she didn't know one man in history that had that power over her.  
She nodded and Milo nodded to her and said, "K.C this is Clio, the Muse of history."  
K.C nodded and then said, "a pleasure to make your acquaintance," she said it with so much sass Clio realized that she almost covered her mouth to laugh. Instead she pretended to sneeze and covered her mouth the hide the smile. Milo smiled at her and K.C glared at her, and Clio wondered if K.C had chased away the girl in Rhode Island.  
"The pleasure is all mine K.C Winters," Clio said as she walked over towards the bed. K.C nodded and said, "so you're one of the ladies that lives here?"  
Milo coughed and Clio smiled for real this time as she replied with just as much sass, "as a matter of fact I am."  
A tiny smile spread on the girl's face and she said with a sly smile, "well, thanks for letting us stay here."  
Clio nodded and then said with her own sly smile, "I hear you're a good shot with a bow," blows could be equally traded among the two of them, if the girl wanted a little war over her brother, then Clio was willing to comply.  
"I'm ten times better than you are at getting a boyfriend."  
That one hit hard somewhere inside of Clio and she frowned softly, the line between playful and full on war had been drawn, Milo would forever be a sore subject between the two of them then.  
"When the two of you are finished, I need to speak with you Clio." Milo said as he rose from the bed. K.C opened her mouth to argue and Clio nodded as she rose and smoothed out her dress.  
Milo winked at his sister and the two of them left the room. Clio grabbed his arm and whispered, "We'll be more alone in the garden."  
He nodded and then walked down the hallway to the garden together and Clio wished she had the damn courage to tell him how wonderful he was and how much he meant to her.

They walked through the garden slowly, the distance in between them was only a few centimeters but as they walked, Milo itched to close it and fix whatever rift he'd opened when he'd left for Rhode Island. And although it would only take a reach of his hand he felt like he might need to leap a canyon to actually reach her.  
Clio chose a bench a good ten minutes away from the back doors of the house. She sat down gracefully and Milo stayed standing, watching her face to see what it was she wanted to talk about. Taking a small breath of air in she said, "I'll contact a couple friends of mine to help you, they'll probably need some convincing but I'm sure I can provide it."  
He blinked in surprise, Clio was not one to offer help like this, no one in the mythological world ever helped without a price and Milo had begun to close off from help like that since the prices were usually as high as the bounty on his head.  
"You don't have to do it you know," he whispered as he put his hands in his pockets. Clio shivered even though they were in the sun where it was deliciously warm. He sat down next to her and she said, "why did you go to Rhode Island Milo?"  
"Because I needed to get K.C out of this area, before she set something on fire." Milo said as he leaned his forearms on his knees. Clio glared at him, apparently not finding his dry joke funny.  
"She doesn't like me." Clio murmured as she toyed with the edge of her little white dress. Milo blinked and then answered softly, "she doesn't like any girl who I talk to."  
Clio rolled her eyes, but it still brought a tiny smile to her face. Milo took her hand softly in his and said, "but truthfully, she likes books, maybe you could show her the library?"  
Clio looked at him softly and he could see deep down into her soul through her emerald eyes. They held each other's gaze for a few seconds before Clio looked down at the dirt and slipped her fingers out of his. She rested her hands delicately in her lap and intertwined them slowly and meticulously as if she were thinking deeply.  
"Getting into Olympus won't be easy."  
Her words sent a shiver down his spine and he replied softly, "I know," a small ant was crawling along the dirt towards them and Milo watched it until Clio whispered, "I have friends, nymphs that work inside Olympus that could help you get in."  
They were silent again until Clio stood up and said, "glad we had this talk, and I'm glad you're going after James finally."  
Milo looked up at her and then said, "we used to be friends Clio, what happened?"  
She blinked in surprise but her reaction disappeared quickly as she said, "we still are friends, just, not as good of friends as we used to be."  
She turned on her heel then and walked away, back to the house and probably the library where's he would shut herself up and never come out again.


	3. Chapter 3

**okay so it's been a while since I put a new chapter up, but I've worked really hard on this one, read it through once to find as many grammar and spelling mistakes as I could. (: **

** Second of I just wanted to thank my amazing friend Lily for the epic cover. She worked for like three hours on it and I don't think anyone could have drawn Milo and K.C better. Okay, also, thanks everyone who has followed Milo and K.c from the beginning in Snow, you guys are awesome! Alright so here it is, chapter three, enjoy. **

K.C was tired of lying in bed for three straight days, so before Mel could come in and give her that disgusting drink, she slipped out of bed and dressed.

She opened the door into the hallway and looked left and right. Right led down a couple of feet to a corner that turned left, and left led farther to the left. Floor to ceiling windows let in warm noon light that pooled on the floor in soft puddles. K.C edged out of the doorway and close the door behind her as she tried to make up her mind which way to go, and in the end decided to go right.  
As she walked through the house her hands in her pockets, she looked at all the pictures that lined the walls. Pictures of clouds and springs where young women no older than Clio danced and laughed. K.C made a face as she thought of Clio, the young woman who she had only heard good things about. She looked too good to be true though, too sweet, too innocent looking. To K.C, Clio reminded her of what happens when one ate to many sweet things. The stomach ache and then the gross feeling in one's mouth as they swore never to do that again. As she walked down the halls she reached the end of them and faced two large doors that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. They were dark wood and when K.C laid her hands one of them to open it the cool wood sent a chill running through her body. She pushed open the door and as it creaked open K.C felt her mouth fall open.  
She had thought the New York City library had been big, this topped that a million to one. Shelves stretched across the huge room. The ceiling was so high that K.C had to squint through the semi darkness up there to see the color of it. That wasn't what made her giddy with excitement though, what made her excited was the books. Books everywhere, so many books that it would truly take all of eternity to read them all. K.C reached her hand out and ran her fingers along a couple of the titles nearest to her when she entered through the doorway, she pulled one off the shelf and flipped through the old fading pages. They crinkled softly and she ran her finger tips along one of the poems that was written in fading calligraphy.  
The first two lines of the poem struck out to her and she read them over four times smiling:  
Eloquently do thine eyes shine, like stars of yonder glory  
Before she could keep reading the poem something growled behind her. K.C squeaked and dropped the book as she flipped around. A huge Bengal tiger was crouched and growling softly, it's fail lashing across the floor. It's amber eyes watched her, followed her as she bent down to pick up the book, and when she put it back on the shelf, she backed up against the shelf when it took a step towards her and growled again. It was massive was all she could think, and when it bared its fangs at her K.C almost screamed and ran. It stepped up to her and pressed K.C up against the shelf as it sniffed at her clothes and then growling, opened its mouth causing K.C to close her eyes and look the other way.  
"Tigris! Leave it!"  
K.C opened her eyes a fraction and then saw Clio standing a few feet away, a book in her arms. She looked pretty there, with shorts and a tank top on, her feet bare even though it had to be cold in the library and her auburn hair in a messy bun on the top of her head with tiny strands falling around her face. The tiger slipped over towards her and Clio frowned until the tiger brushed up against her legs purring, then she rolled her eyes and scratched it behind the ears. K.C stayed pressed up to the shelf and said, "it's yours?"  
Clio nodded softly and then said, "she doesn't take well to strangers, she probably also smells the cyclops all over your clothes."  
K.C frowned and Clio gave her a small smile as she said, "I'm sorry that she spooked you, Milo told me that you love to read and I was actually on my way to bring you here."  
She gestured around the library and K.C followed her hand with her eyes. Clio stepped towards her slowly and said, "is there anything that interests you? I can always help you find it."  
K.C glared at her and said, "yeah, I'm interested in not being your pet tiger's lunch," she felt some satisfaction at that comment, but it ruined it when Clio smiled and said, "I'm sure we have books on how to keep a tiger from eating you, there might be something in mythology for you to look at."  
K.C glared at her and said, "so you and Milo are like buddy buddy?"  
Clio frowned and said, "we're friends, I'm not sure what you mean by that," she did look confused but under that comment K.C felt the swirling of emotions that Clio was trying to hide.  
The Muse sighed and set her book down on the table near her then said, " if there's anything I can get you, just let me know."  
She turned softly and walked down the shelves with her tiger following her. K.C narrowed her eyes and debated for what felt like eternity about wether or not she wanted to follow Clio. Eventually she decided it wouldn't kill her to get to know the young woman. K.C ran after her and her shoes squeaked on the floor as she ran. Clio turned and waited for her at the end of the shelf and then said, "have you figured something out?"  
"Sure, whatever you say. I wanted to talk to you about my brother," K.C said as she slowed so she could walk with Clio who had started walking again. Clio frowned and then said, "he's your brother, you would know more than me."  
"Not like that. I want to know the Milo that sometimes disappeared and left me at the apartment, and would return limping or bleeding," K.C retorted, her frustration boiling over. K.C hated dealing with people she didn't like, they always got on her nerves quicker than anyone else, and Clio was no exception. Clio frowned and then stopped and K.C stopped as well. The tiger sat down and purred softly as she rubbed against Clio's leg. Clio narrowed her eyes at K.C and whispered, "your brother may be keeping it a secret for a reason."  
"Why? Because he's here with you, and you two happened to roll into a thorn bush or something?"  
"You should watch you tongue."  
"Please, I don't care what I say to you."  
"You should care, you're the princess of the Underworld, you will need to learn how to talk to your superiors soon."  
"Well I'm not princess yet."  
Clio sighed exasperated and then stalked down the shelves for a few steps. K.C blinked in surprise and then said softer than she had ever spoken to Clio, "I know you like him."  
Clio flipped around, her bun fell out and her auburn hair collapsed to her shoulders in soft curls. The young woman's eyes welled up with tears and K.C felt that feeling she hated getting in her gut when she knew she'd said something very wrong but couldn't take it back. Clio swallowed momentarily and then said, "I'm sorry for intruding upon you two. I can see that you and Milo are very close siblings-"  
"He likes you too," K.C interrupted. She hadn't meant to let that one slip out, it was no secret that her brother secretly liked Clio. She'd heard him some nights whisper her name in his sleep. She had thought at first it was their mother's name or something, but eventually she realized it was the girl Milo held in his heart of hearts.  
Clio looked shocked for a moment before K.C covered her mouth in surprise. K.C let her hand fall and then whispered, "don't tell him I know. He'll be so pissed that I was awake when I was supposed to be sleeping."  
Clio wasn't listening though, K.C could tell. She was off in her own world, her eyes wide with some wonder or another and her mouth open slightly in a half smile. Clio looked at her and the words seemed to rush out in a manor that K.C was surprised to see the young woman produce, "really? Are you sure, because I've been waiting- oh why didn't he just tell me? I can't believe this- five years- five years and he's never-"  
She smiled at K.C and then her smile fell quickly and she whispered, "you're not lying, are you?"  
K.C blinked and then shook her head. Clio let out a laugh and then taking K.C by the shoulders said, "do you know where he is?"  
"Um, no?"  
Clio shook her head and then said, "it doesn't matter, I have an idea."  
She grabbed K.C's hand and then dragged her past the shelves at a run. K.C struggled to keep up at first, then she gained her footing and followed Clio at a sprint through the library. Someone was opening the door when they passed through and Mel squeaked in surprise when they ran past her. Clio laughed and then turned around and shouted, "he does like me!"  
Mel raised her brow in surprise and then Clio grab K.C wrist again and started sprinting.

Clio lead her through the house until they reached a set of glass doors out to what looked like a set of stables. Clio pushed them open and K.C almost slipped as she ran down the stairs after Clio.  
The young woman stopped outside the stable doors though and K.C ended up next to her, bent over with her hands on her knees, heaving breaths in and out. Clio looked at the doors warily and then walked forward slowly and pushed open one of them. K.C watched her slip inside and then followed quickly.  
Inside it was warm and humid,the smell of hay and oats was heavy in the air and K.C sneezed. Clio seemed to walk at a snails pace compared to the speed she had run through the house and as K.C followed her she saw that Clio's hands where's shaking. At the end of the stable Clio opened another door. The stall that K.C stood in the doorway of was semi large, bigger than a normal horse stall would be. And sitting in the corner was her answer why. A horse was resting, with large black wings draped at its sides. Clio walked over to the horse and then stretching her hand out stroked the horse's nose softly. It snorted and then nuzzled her hand.  
"Mel's looking for you."  
K.C turned around to see her brother standing behind her. He had his normal dark gray shirt on now, and his dark jeans were covered with little bits of hay. Clio looked over her shoulder and said, "well, we were looking for you."  
K.C looked at clio and said, "yeah, Clio wanted to tell you-"  
"That I showed her the library and that she knows where it is." Clio finished, she glared at K.C softly and then turned back around to face the horse. Milo smiled and said softly, "that's funny I was just coming to find you Clio."  
She looked over her shoulder again in surprise and Milo stepped past K.C and crouched down next to Clio.  
"I wanted to tell you that I have an idea of how to get into Olympus, you don't have to do anything."  
The look on Clio's face was enough to tell K.C that her brother was failing miserably at everything. She walked by Milo and gave him a little shove. He caught himself though and said, "well, you're excused K.C."  
K.C narrowed her eyes at him and then said, "do you still have my arrows?"  
Milo blinked and then said, "oh course, they're in your room. I put them there this morning while you were sleeping."  
K.C nodded and then said, "oh and, I was wondering when you were going to start working with me."  
Milo frowned, apparently all her hints at being subtle were ruined by her brothers mental inability to work with women. K.C rolled her eyes and then motioned with her eyes again to Clio. Milo's frown deepened and he glanced at Clio quickly who was pretending to not see the little silent conversation K.C was having with her brother.  
He shook his head and then leaned close to K.C and whispered, "what are you trying to do?"  
"I'm trying to give you a push in the right direction," K.C murmured as she rose from her crouch next to her brother. Milo frowned at her still and this time it was in confusion. K.C stretched and then said, "I'm going to go get my bow and arrows, I need to shoot something. Preferably something with a heart."  
She walked away and felt Milo probing her mind with his thoughts wondering why she was acting like this and what the heck she meant by that last comment.

Once K.C was gone, Milo turned back to the Pegasus. It snorted and then stretched out its wings. Clio smiled and said, "she's beautiful."  
Milo nodded and then said, "is everything okay between you and K.C? I know you two had a rocky start," he whispered as he stood and offered his hand to pull Clio up. She looked at it in confusion and then stood on her own and brushed her shorts off. Milo dropped his hand quickly and tucked it in the pocket of his jeans. Clio sighed and then said, "she's a charmer, that's for sure. Your father's going to have his hands full with that one," she laughed and then started to walk away. As soon as she was in the long hall out of the stable, Milo started after her. When he had caught up to her he pulled on her hand and caused her to turn around. They stood toe to toe it seemed, the closest they had been since he and K.C had arrived.  
Her eyes looked up at his carefully and Milo whispered softly, "what happened to us?"  
"Nothing, you just, grew up is all," Clio whispered equally as softly, her eyes never leaving his own. Milo sighed and then whispered in reply, "K.C told you about Alice I assume?"  
"I already knew about Alice," Clio replied as she looked away for the first time since she'd turned around.  
Milo looked away as well, Alice was a bridge he had hoped never to cross with Clio. The girl he'd left behind in Rhode Island had probably not thought about him once since the last time he called her. Clio looked at him and said, "Mel told me about her, she said you two looked like you were in love."  
Milo laughed softly and said, "I was nineteen, I didn't know what love was, even if it would have hit me on the head with an anvil."  
Clio narrowed her eyes at him and then said, "why did you leave her?"  
"We almost got killed in a supermarket, I had no choice but to literally leave it all behind and go," Milo whispered, his stomach growing cold at the memory of it. Clio seemed satisfied with the answer and then when she turned to go again, Milo grabbed her hand again and whispered, "I didn't forget about you Cli."  
She looked at him in surprise, he hardly used the nickname he had for her and she felt a small smile creep to her lips as she said, "I didn't either."  
They looked at each other for a long moment before Milo closed the distance quickly by taking a step closer to her. Their foreheads were almost touching and he whispered, "I couldn't forget about you, no matter how hard I tried. Alice could never replace you."  
Clio blinked in surprise, Milo would have to feel a certain way about her for her to even be able to replace the girl Milo had loved. Milo smiled at her softly and said, "I'm not much better than my dad at this stuff I guess."  
Clio smiled nervously and then said, "no, no you're good."  
Milo smiled and then rested his forehead against her's softly. Clio could feel the heat that radiated off of him, and all she could see were those blue eyes. Milo squeezed her hand softly and Clio closed her eyes, she felt a hint of fear though; what if it wasn't everything she thought it would be? What if she was no better than Hera who had only been obsessed with Milo's father? She felt Milo's breath on her lip and before she could even think about pulling away and questioning everything, Milo kissed her.  
It wasn't a long deep kiss, it was more tentative and curious with Clio just exploring the feelings that it produced. Milo appeared to be doing the same as he wrapped an arm around her hip and pulled her slightly closer to his chest. When they pulled away from each other Clio was blushing deeply and Milo looked more uncomfortable than anything, with his hands back in his pockets and his eyes looking everywhere so as to not meet Clio's gaze.  
Eventually Clio coughed softly and said, "that was-"  
"Fantastic," Milo supplied as he pulled Clio close to him again. Clio smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. She looked into his eyes and said, "better than fantastic Milo Winters."  
Milo smiled and then whispered, "that's going to be hard to top."  
Clio smiled and kissed him first this time.

K.C was standing in front of a tree with a target hung from one of the branches. She had a pair of headphones in her ears and her phone tucked in the pocket, playing music as she prepared herself to shoot. She turned from the target and backed up twenty steps then turned around and pulled an arrow from the quiver strung over her left shoulder. She turned sideways comfortably and then drew the arrow tightly in the bow, bringing the arrow up to point at the target. She squinted slightly and then smiling let go of the arrow.  
It lodged in the dead center and the target swung with the force of the arrow hitting it. With a smile K.C turned and humming the beat of the song turned back around and fired another shot in the same target. It swung forward and the arrow met it perfectly. K.C smiled and then stepped back farther, she turned and waited for the target to stop moving and then drew another arrow. Taking a deep breath she let the arrow go.  
"Nice shot, Artemis would be jealous."  
K.C flipped around and drew an arrow. Leaning up against one of the tress was a young man. He was maybe a few years older than her, perhaps sixteen, with gorgeous green eyes and brown hair. K.C narrowed her eyes and said, "who are you and how did you find me?"  
He laughed and said, "easy, just followed the trail of death and destruction that you and your brother leave behind you."  
K.C snorted softly and said, "bold words for a guy with an arrow pointed at his heart."  
He smiled and then crossed his arms, he was comfortable then. K.C smiled, she would change that quickly. The arrow lodged itself right above his head. K.C almost felt sorry for the poor guy as he stumbled away from the tree trunk. She drew another arrow and said, "now, how about a name?"  
She pointed the arrow at him and he held up his hands quickly and said, "look I don't want to hurt you or anything, I was just sent to get you and then go back."  
"Back to Olympus where you'd hand me over to James, who would use me as bait for my brother, and the walk away with whatever reward he's offered and not look back?"  
"No! Gods of Olympus no! I was sent by your grandmother."  
"Please," she rolled her eyes continuing,"go find someone who would believe you or care, then come talk to me."  
He held his hands out and said, "really! I was sent by Demeter, you know Diana, she's your grandmother on your mothers side, your aunt on your father's side. She sent me to get you and bring you up to Olympus for a few minutes, to give you a lay out of the place so you don't get lost when you come to free the council."  
K.C narrowed her eyes and lowered the arrow slightly, she had heard the weird way their family worked, Milo had tried to explain, but somewhere around her father's original siblings, she got lost. Taking a deep breath she said, "alright, mister, prove to me you were sent by my grandmother."  
He sighed and lowed his hands, apparently pleased at not having an arrow pointed at his heart anymore. He reached in his pocket and said, "she thought you might question me so she told me to give this to you or Milo, whoever I ran into first."  
He held out a small stone, it glowed softly and K.C took it quickly from his hand and he backed away quickly apparently scared she would shoot again. K.C turned it over and said, "what is it?"  
"It's a memory stone, there's memories infused in there,and when you want to remember something you can look into it and it will let you relive the feelings. Only people who know the memory can make it though."  
"How does that prove I can trust you?"  
"Only your grandmother would know these memories, or at least the one she put in there."  
K.C narrowed her eyes and then looked into the stone. It glowed milky blue,deeper than her eye color which had recently started turning dark blue again. She frowned and then felt a soft warm feeling come over her, like a warm blanket. A soft voice whispered in her ear, whispering how much it loved her. For a moment K.C was little again. In the arms of someone,holding her softly and whispering to her. She opened her eyes and frowned at the fact that the woman's face was blurry, like she couldn't quite picture it. There was movement to the right of her and she turned her head to see a very familiar face. There were no pictures of Milo from when he was younger, but there he was, young and innocent still. His face didn't have that haggard weary look to it yet, and his eyes still lit up as he smiled. He took her tiny hand in his own and the voice whispered to him softly. Milo leaned closer to her and in a clear voice that whispered through her little tinkling thoughts said, "the moon is blue, that's what color your eyes are. Mommy's eyes are blue too, she says you have daddy's eyes though."  
K.C smiled at him, because she believed him, she _understood_ him. Mommy was holding her, daddy was gone, but he would come back. Mommy had blue eyes, Milo had the same ones. She had blue eyes, but they looked different. Mommy had brown hair, and so did she. The other lady that held her sometimes was Persepone, according to Milo at least, that was how her name was pronounced. First a per- like the sound a cat would make followed by sep- and finally oney. she was their aunt. She would protect them from the bad guy.  
K.C felt a jerk and found herself back in the little grove of trees. A soft tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away quickly. The guy was still standing there and he said softly, "I'm not sure what's in there, but I can tell you it's okay to cry when you see something that makes you happy."  
K.C narrowed her eyes and felt more tears come. It wasn't fair, it just wasn't fair. Why did all this happen, how could someone do this to her mom and dad and Milo? Tearing apart families should have been a crime, one as evil as murder. She turned on him and then spit, "you don't know anything, so just shut up."  
"We know a lot, rumors fly quickly in Olympus. A few years ago there was a rumor that Milo got into a mess and got so hurt he almost died. Your mother locked herself in her rooms and refused to come out unless someone found out if it was true or not," he looked sorry, but sorries were easy to make and easy to fake. K.C glared at him and said, "well, I'm glad that while all of you are sitting pretty up there watching us, me and Milo have been running and hiding, fighting and almost dying down here.".

He sighed and said, "we never abandoned you two. You have always had someone watching you and protecting you."

"Oh yeah, explain why Milo had to fight that thing a few nights ago, why a Minotaur chased us around and almost killed us, why three years ago Milo went out one night and came back almost dead!"  
He looked surprised and then with a slight shrug he said, "well, I don't know what to tell you about those, I guess the guy on duty was dozing or something."  
K.C glared at him and then looked down at the stone, it had been a long time since she'd learned to trust someone, but this guy, he seemed sincere. She looked back up at the house then said with as much conviction as she could muster with tears rolling down her cheeks, "come on, I'll see what my brother wants to do with you."  
She started to walk through the trees and the guy started in surprise and then ran after her. As they walked he tried to talk to her, asked her questions about herself, like what she thought of the weather, and what she throughout of everything that had happened to her, and every time K.C glared at him.  
They reached the doors and K.C shoved them open, causing them to hit the walls and make a loud booming noise throughout the house. She stormed thought the hallway with her tennis shoes squeaking, and her jacket rustling with each sway of her arms. Behind her, the guy still trailed two steps behind.  
They reached the library and K.C almost kicked those doors open. Sitting in a chair was Clio, a pair of reading glasses balanced on her nose, her feet tucked underneath her. Milo was sitting across from her, it looked like the two of them had been smiling at one another, bu the moment Milo's eyes met K.C's the smile fell.  
Clio looked over the back of the chair at their entrance and said, "what happened, and do you really need to-"  
"Yeah, I do," K.C growled as she stormed up to her brother who was now standing and sending wary glances at the guy following her. Clio stood up with a start when she saw him and then hissed, "who are you?"  
He frowned and then said, "I'm Christian."  
Milo pushed K.C behind his back and said, "and who are you really?"  
Christian seemed to size up Milo for a second before saying, "I'm a lesser god, so chill out."  
Milo narrowed his eyes and said softly, which surprised K.C to no end, "and you know who we are?"  
"Yeah, you're the two kids of Hades. You're Milo," he pointed at Milo and then with a smile pointed at K.C and said, "and you're K.C. The two of you are prince and princess of the Underworld."  
Milo smiled and then said, "well, that's the last thing you'll ever say-"  
"Whoa, whoa! Hold your horse there, I was sent by your grandmother, or aunt, whatever it is you call her."  
K.C pulled on her brothers arm and whispered in his ear, "he's telling the truth as far as I can tell."  
Milo glanced at her and then nodding tightly he glanced at Christian and said, "okay, I'll believe you for now. But should anything happen, then you will be dead before you even think about running."  
Christian smiled tightly and then nodded. Clio frowned and then said, "why were you sent here?"  
"To bring the girl up to Olympus." Christian said nonchalantly. Milo grabbed K.C's arm and then hissed, "abesolutly-"  
"Not up there literally, she knows what I'm talking about." Christian nodded at K.C and then smiled. K.C glared at him and said, "I have no idea what you're talking about."  
He smiled at her for real and then said, "come on, you're little thing you do, where you leave your body and go places in spirit. Your mom can do it."  
Milo glared at K.C and before he could say anything she met his glare with her own and hissed, "don't you say anything! You kept your powers a secret from me too!"  
Christian glanced at Milo and then whispered, "do I even want to know what you can do?"  
Milo glared at him and hissed, "shut up," he looked back at K.C and said, "that doesn't mean you can hide your stuff from me!"  
"Oh cause that's not hypocritical!" K.C shouted as she pulled her arm from Milo's grasp. He grabbed her shoulders and said, "how long have you been doing," he looked at Clio as if she might know something and then said, "this spirit walking thing?"  
K.C pulled away from him and crossed her arms across her chest. She glared at her brother and said, "none of your business."  
"Wrong, it is my business."  
The two of them glared at each other for a few seconds, until K.C broke eye contact, her brother looked too much like their father in that moment, his eyes narrowed and his hands clenched in fists at his sides. Clio set her hand on Milo's shoulder and said, "I'm sure K.C has a perfectly good reason for hiding it."  
She looked at K.C expectantly, as if she thought that would get K.C to say something. Christian put his hands in his pockets and said, "I was also sent to help you in anyway I can."  
Milo glared at him and said, "you can help me by sitting there and not talking for the next few minutes."  
Christian rolled his eyes and sat down on the couch, he put his hands behind his head and looked up at the ceiling. Milo sighed heavily and then looked at K.C again, his gaze had softened and when he spoke his voice was softer too, "I know that I kept what I did a secret to you, but you have to understand it was for a reason. But I need you to tell me why you kept your's a secret from me."  
K.C let her arms slip to her side and she looked at Clio who nodded encouragingly. K.C took a deep breath and then said, "I didn't tell you because I would always go up to Olympus, and I thought, I thought you would tell me to stop."  
Milo sighed and then ran a hand down his face, he looked tired then and K.C realized that maybe she had painted her brother out to be this bad guy who told her what to do all the time. Milo wasn't like that though, he was just protecting her, making sure she got to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, even if it meant going out and putting himself in danger. He looked back up at her and K.C whispered, "it's the only time I get to see dad, and sometimes mom, I think. And if you would have told me to stop, I don't know what I would have done."  
He looked pained for a second, and K.C wondered for a moment what her brother would give to see their parents again, to actually be with them, not only with their memory like he did now. The pain on his face was gone quickly and he looked at her for a long period of time, so long that K.C shuffled her feet slightly. Milo sighed again, and then looking at the ground said, "if you would have explained that to me, I would have said go ahead. And I'm going to say the same thing now. I wouldn't take seeing our parents from you."  
K.C nodded, and then walked forward and threw her arms around her brother's middle. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and enveloped her in his embrace. She could smell the woodsy smell that was in his shirt and she could smell something else, something she hadn't smelled before. When she pulled away and looked up at him, K.C realized that she smelled hope, she hadn't even known that hope had a smell until now.


	4. Chapter 4

**so yeah, it's been forevers since I updated, but that's because I'm working on others stuff... And finals, yeah finals. Here it is though, chapter four, and yeah, I just want a tiny bit of feedback about what you think of Milo and Clio... Yeah, I ship them hard. So let be know what you think of them. Also, little bit of Henry and Kate in this chapter... just cause I miss them! Lol, enjoy, comment and follow! Thanks to everyone whose stuck around, I know I suck at updating. **

The moon was at its highest point in the sky when Clio heard the knock on her doorframe. She sat up slowly and then pushed her hair out of her face, then squinting through the thin curtains she had hung up where the door would be, she saw someone standing there waiting for her to allow them entrance. She whispered softly into the dark, "yes?"  
Whoever it was slipped through the curtains and Clio rubbed her eye with the palm of her hand, trying to rub the sleep out of it. When she opened her eyes again she almost gasped in surprise. Standing by the entrance to her room was Milo. He had nothing but a pair of pants on, and his chest shone pale in the moonlight. His blue eyes were soft and Clio grabbed the blankets and pulled them up to cover herself.  
Milo blinked innocently and then said, "I didn't wake you did I?"  
He looked ashamed when he saw the glare she gave him. There was silence for a finale moment before Clio sighed and dropped the blankets so that they collected in her lap; she looked at Milo and whispered, "what's wrong?"  
He moved quicker than she anticipated and sat on the edge of her bed. His hair was a mess and Clio was surprised by how she felt attracted to the kind of messy that was Milo winters.  
"K.C and Christian aren't back yet, and I can't sit over my sisters body worrying any longer."  
He looked incredibly pained and Clio sighed as she reached out and moved the soft hairs that fell across Milo's forehead. They shifted delicately only to fall right back the way they were before, and Clio smiled as she leaned closer to him and whispered, "of all the things you could worry about."  
Milo sighed and then placed his forehead against Clio's forehead. The moment he did it Clio's smile widened and she whispered, "oh Milo, you will never cease to amaze me. What are you going to do when your parents are back and you don't have to protect your sister anymore?"  
Milo narrowed his eyes and said, "they're going to need help, it's not like two people watching her will ever be enough."  
Clio laughed softly and ran her hand up Milo's chest, and wrapped her hand around his neck, hoping that she could pull him in a little closer. Milo smiled slightly and whispered, "you're trying to distract me."  
"Who me? Of course."  
Milo laughed softly and then pressed his lips to the side of Clio's mouth, then he ran his hand along the blankets until it connected with hers. Clio smiled and whispered, "you couldn't have waited until morning to do this?"  
"And missing seeing you like this?"  
Clio pulled away in shock. Milo was many things, but sexual was not one of them. If anything, Clio pictured him struggling to even figure out what sex was or meant, and the very idea of Milo even having sex or being sexual was almost disgusting to her. He blinked in surprise and whispered softly, "not like that. I like seeing you at peace, relaxed and just there," he tucked a stand of her auburn hair behind her ear and continued, "I like seeing your hair messy and your eyes sleepy, it looks cute."  
Clio frowned playfully and said, "oh really?"  
If there was light, Clio was sure she would have seen Milo's entire face red, but since there was none she smiled and snuck in a kiss. When she pulled away Milo sighed and then whispered, "I'm sorry I woke you. I just needed to do something other than wake up wondering if K.C's back yet."  
He rose from the bed and Clio watch him walk towards the door until she whispered to his back, "are you sure you don't want to stay?"  
Milo glanced at her and whispered, "are you sure you want me to?"  
Clio nodded and Milo smiled, that boyish smile that Clio hadn't seen since his aunt had been captured three years ago. He moved towards the bed and Clio moved the blankets and moved over. He moved next to her and he laid facing her.  
They were quiet for a moment until Clio reached up and wrapped her arm around Milo's neck, pulling his forehead down to hers again. Silently, Milo moved like a shadow and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him. He kissed her softly, then hungrily as if he would never kiss her again.  
Clio pulled away and then snuggled into Milo's arms, where she rested her head on his chest and whispered, "Milo?"  
He whispered that he was listening, and Clio smiled and shook her head. "Never mind."  
Milo sighed and then she listened to his chest rising and falling, and then the almost poetic sound of his heart beating. She closed her eyes, and for the first time in a long time, she slept soundly.  
In the morning, the sun landed on them, Clio wrapped in Milo's arms, her head resting on his shoulder and his face buried in her hair. A bird landed on the balcony and chirped loudly. Clio stirred and Milo raised his head. The bird flew over and landed on the bed post, then let out another chirp and held out its leg. Attached to it was a small piece of paper.  
Milo shifted and reached out for the piece of paper. The bird chirped at him and Milo pulled on the string untying the sheet of paper. It fell onto the blankets and Milo picked it up. Clio opened her eyes and whispered, "what is it?"  
Milo opened the note and read the one line. He dropped it and was out of the bed before Clio could ask her question again. He was out of the room and she could hear him running somewhere. Clio sat up quickly and took the note in her hand. Written in beautiful cursive was the line:  
_**He knows, he knows you're coming. Be careful my son.**_  
Clio dropped the paper and took off after Milo down the hall, shouting his name.  
K.C was awake when Clio arrived, she had a death grip on her brothers arms and Christian was pale in the face as he sat up slowly.  
"Milo, he's done something, the councils gone! They're all gone!"  
K.C sobbed and threw her arms around her brothers neck. Clio stood in the doorway and Christian whispered, "he knows... Gods of Olympus, he knows that you guys are coming."  
Clio walked into the room slowly and sat down on the edge of the bed, for a moment she felt desperate to do something, to comfort K.C in anyway, but the girl was sobbing and it seemed she wouldn't be stopping soon. Milo looked to be on the verge of tears but he pulled away from K.C and said, "he wouldn't kill them, he's not that stupid."  
K.C's lower lip quivered and Milo cupped her face with his hands and whispered, "everything will be okay, I promised you I would protect you and get you to mom and dad someday, I'm not breaking my second promise now."  
K.C nodded and Milo took a deep breath as he rose and started pacing the floor.  
"Did he see you?"  
K.C shook her head and replied softly, "I don't think so, he, he was just sitting there when I went into the throne room, and the glass boxes were gone, and mom wasn't there."  
Milo frowned and ran his hand through his unkept hair, Clio would have thought he looked very cute in the moment except for the fact that the entire Greek council of gods was missing.  
"There isn't much time then," Milo whispered as he paced back and froth. Christian glanced at him and then said, "I know this isn't a good time, but, just wondering, do you work out or something?"  
everyone in the room looked at him and Milo glanced down at his bare chest. He snorted softly and then said, "and that has to do with anything because?"  
"I didn't say it had to do with anything, I was just wondering, cause well I'm trying to get ripped like that and it's not working."  
Milo narrowed his eyes and said, "you're a god, you can do whatever you want!"  
Christian glanced down at his chest and said, "apparently not."  
Milo rolled his eyes and said, "alright, step one is that we get your head out of your ass," he glanced at K.C and said, "step two, we get you cleaned up and," he glanced down at his pants and said, "step three is I get dressed. Then were planning like Armageddon is tomorrow."

K.C was shocked when she enter entered the library. Instead of the tables and couches, there was one long table, with almost all the chairs around it filled. Sitting at the head was Milo, with a seat open to his right. He nodded to the open chair and K.C mumbled apologies as she bumped into people standing around the table. She took her seat next to her brother who smiled and said, "here we all are now."  
K.C looked around the table at all the faces. There were some that were stoic and others that looked tentative and worried. Milo stood slowly and said, "I know that for most of you, this is a burden, and I apologize before hand."  
Someone snorted and then said, "charming, like your father."  
Milo smiled and said, "I'm going to pretend that was a complement, because at the end of this, I will see to it that you are rewarded."  
The murmuring died out completely and Milo seemed satisfied with the silence, then taking a deep breath he said, "the council has been compromised as most of you have heard or seen. What many of you may not know, is that my sister and I are the only people that can defeat James."  
"Why you?" A tiny girl said, she may have looked small and innocent but K.C saw the rapier at her hip and realized that she was anything but innocent. Milo shrugged and said, "I don't know. What I do know is that there is never a specification of whether or not I can make my own army."  
"Hold up there, James has an army?" Someone cried out in shock.  
"Yes, but they're weak. The only problem is the amount of them," Christian replied from off to the side. He was leaning up against a book shelf, with his arms across his chest. He nodded to Milo and said, "Winters here is just playing the game James has already started."  
There were a few more murmurs, and Milo said, "nothing will happen to any of you, but you have realize that we have to do this, if we fail, then the entire Council might die."  
"And why should we care, in case you don't know your history kid, they pretty much screwed all of us!" There were shouts agreeing with him and Milo shouted to be heard, "they've screwed me too, okay?"  
The shouting stopped and even K.C looked at her brother in surprise, Milo never spoke out against the council like that, he always supported them in everything that they had every done. He sighed and then taking a deep breath Milo said, "they've ruined me too, by putting this responsibility over my head, with no help, no allies, just me against the world. What some of you may or may not know is that my mother and father practically abandoned me when I was seven years old. I've lived on my own, protecting my sister from the world since then. You want do talk about being screwed, you can talk to me and we'll have a nice long chat."  
Someone coughed softly and there was a shifting of people in chairs. K.C looked up at her brother and then took his hand softly. He took a deep breath again and then said softly, "what matters most, is that we free the council, that is the major goal here."  
Someone coughed again to fill the silence that followed Milo's words and said, "Are you sure that no harm will come to any of us."  
Milo tensed up slightly and then with a hard voice answered, "no, I can't guarantee anything."  
The silence that followed was not broken. Everyone looked at Milo carefully as she sat down slowly in his seat. Clio reached over and touched his arm softly, the touch made K.C narrow her eyes, what had transpired between her brother and the muse while she had been gone?  
Christian nodded softly to Milo and than said, "we need your leadership Winters. The council is counting on us, we need you to pull us all together."  
Milo glanced at Christian and then nodding said, "I'm willing to lead whoever wants to go into battle with me."  
There was more silence and finally someone stood at the other end of the table, he looked like a young man, maybe older than Milo, with golden blond hair and green eyes. He nodded to Milo and said, "we support your cause. You have our undying support."  
Milo smiled softly and then said, "then we better get some weapons and a plan set, we don't have much time."

The moon was full as she walked down the hallway to the throne room. Her dress skimmed the ground and made soft whooshing sounds as she walked. Her bare feet however, didn't make a sound. She opened the doors softly and slipped inside. The two cursèd thrones on the dais glowed in the night and she narrowed her eyes at them. Then moving quickly, she found the chain hidden behind a curtain. She let it slip slowly though her hands and from above her she heard a soft voice whisper, "be careful my love."  
She looked up and smiled slightly then tied the chain up again. The moon glowed softly on the glass and she pressed her hand to it softly. Another hand pressed up against hers and the same person as before whispered, "they're coming, not much longer now."  
She could feel the heat from the other persons hand against hers, and when she glanced up at those moonlight eyes she nodded, then pressed her forehead against the glass. Henry leaned forward and touched his forehead to hers and whispered softly once more, "be safe, be careful, do not do something to get yourself killed."  
She smiled and rolling her eyes mouthed something to Henry. He smiled and whispered,"yes, I know. I love you as well."  
She nodded carefully and then reached for the chair softly, Henry pressed his hand to the glass though and whispered, "when James is in hell, Kate I will-"  
Kate looked over her shoulder at the shadows and froze, her hands on the chain, ready to pull it up. Something had moved from behind one of the pillars, and Kate looked through the gloom and semi darkness trying to find it. She looked at Henry and put her finger to her lips, then she pulled on the chain, raising the glass case. Henry sighed softly and Kate finished pulling up the case. She nodded at her handiwork and then tied the chain up again. When she turned around Eris was right behind her. Kate opened her mouth to cry out in surprise, but no sound came out. Eris smiled and then hissed, "I knew it, someone has been messing with the chains. To bad it had to be you."  
Henry pressed his hands to the glass and shouted to Kate. The rest of the council woke and Diana let out a shriek of fury at Eris. The goddess of chaos appeared to hear any of it as she advanced on Kate. Kate backed up against one of the pillars and looked left and right trying to plan her escape. Eris smiled wickedly and said, "James is not here to stop me this time."  
Kate glared at Eris and when Eris leaped for her, Kate vanished. Eris slammed into the pillar and let out a screech of fury.  
Kate appeared in her rooms, her chest rose and fell quickly in panic as she tried to find her bearings. She was standing in her room, in Olympus, where she was a prisoner. She stripped off her dress quickly since she heard voices in the hallway and then leaped under the covers and rubbed her hair against the pillow a little bit to make it look like she had just woken up. Then she laid down and forced her breathing to become deep with sleep.  
The door opened and she sat up, pretending to be surprised and blinked at the light. James stood in the doorway, his hair a disheveled mess. He narrowed his eyes at Kate and said, "what have you been up to tonight?"  
Kate shrugged and laid back down. The blankets flew off her body and she wrapped her arm around her chest to hide it from James. He glared at her and hissed, "I will only ask once more, _what_ have you been up to tonight?"  
Kate glared at her and then pointed to her mouth. James hissed in annoyance and then stalked over to her. He grabbed her wrist and leaned close to her ear and hissed, "you are only in my good graces because I love you. Do not abuse that privilege."  
Kate glared at him openly and then stuck her tongue out at him. James hissed and threw her back against the pillows. He pushed her shoulders down and then leaned close to her and whispered, "you will not stop me tonight."  
He pressed his lips to hers and then pulled away and ran his lips down her chest. Kate pushed against him, kicking and struggling to get him off of her. James forced her hands down and then kissed her nose softly. He looked down at her and whispered softly, his voice barely audible, "oh Kate, it's just not fair that Henry got you."  
Kate hissed inaudibly and James pulled her close to him, forcing her body numb. Kate struggled to move until James smiled and said, "it's useless, tonight, you're mine."  
Kate's eyes widened and James pressed his lips to hers again.


End file.
